Various polymer compositions have been used to form products such as extrusion coatings, films and laminates. For example, conventional low density polyethylene (LDPE) resins have been used in such products because they are easy to extrude and have high melt strength, which minimizes neck-in during processing. However, products formed of conventional LDPE lack toughness and have a relatively high seal initiation temperature and low hot tack.
Conventional linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins have been used to form products having improved toughness and high hot tack, but their relatively narrow molecular weight distribution inhibits processability.
Conventional linear resins with very low density, such as very linear low density polyethylene (VLLDPE) and plastomers having a density of less than 0.915 g/cm3 offer high hot tack and very low seal initiation temperature, but tend to produce surfaces with higher blocking and coefficients of friction, which make them less easy to handle on packaging lines and/or during further conversion. The also exhibit high neck-in.
That said, what is needed in the art are compositions suitable for use in extrusion coatings, films and laminates that provide improved properties and processability (e.g., relatively broad hot tack plateau, high tensile strength, low seal initiation temperature, low surface blocking, as well as low neck-in and high draw down during processing).